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    Home » Side Dish

    Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Published 09/23/2019. Updated 11/18/2020

    Jump to Recipe

    Sigeumchi namul is an easy Korean side dish (banchan) made with spinach. Simply blanch the spinach and season it. This recipe shows different ways to season the spinach.

    DSC 1945 1 e1518809724815 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
     
    Sigeumchi namul (시금치나물) is a simple Korean side dish (banchan, 반찬) made with spinach. Namul is the general term that refers to a seasoned vegetable dish, and sigeumchi means spinach in Korean.
     
    There are an infinite number of vegetables used to make nauml dishes in Korea. Spinach is one of the most common ones. It typically is served as part of the three color vegetable dishes (samsaek namul) served on traditional holidays. Sigeumchi namul is also highly common in bibimbap.
     
    Although the cooking time and seasonings vary, making namul dishes with green leafy vegetables usually involves blanching the vegetables and squeezing out the water content, followed by seasoning with a few basic ingredients. If you have these simple techniques down, you can make namul dishes with many different vegetables! Try it with baby kale, watercress, snow pea tips, etc.
     
    DSC5931 5 e1569294635207 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
     
    As I usually do for my bibimbap recipe, you can simply season the spinach with salt along with some minced garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
     
    You can also season the spinach with guk ganjang, 국간장 (Korean soup soy sauce) instead of salt. Guk ganjang is a traditional soy sauce made as a byproduct of making doenjang, 된장 (Korean fermented soybean paste). While it’s better known as soy sauce for soups, it’s common for namul dishes, especially in country cooking. It adds a little umami boost to the vegetables!
     
    Another ingredient that’s great for sigeumchi namul is gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). Gochujang gives so much flavor and a little spicy kick!
     
    Try all these different options and let me know which one is your favorite.

    More vegetable side dishes:

    Watercress Namul
    Putbaechu (Young Cabbage) Doenjang Muchim
    Sesame Broccoli
    15 Korean Vegetable Side Dishes

    Sigeumchi namul  e1471796933721 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Watch How to Make It

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 1945 1 350x350 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    4.37 from 65 votes
    Side Dish
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    Mild

    • 1 bunch spinach about 10 ounces
    • 1 scallion chopped
    • 2 teaspoons guk ganjang, 국간장 (soup soy sauce) or use salt to taste
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Spicy

    • 1 bunch spinach about 10 ounces
    • 1 scallion chopped
    • 2 to 3 teaspoons gochujang 고추장 (Korean red chili pepper paste)
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

    Instructions

    • Trim off the roots from the spinach. Wash thoroughly until there is no sand in the water. Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water until wilted, 20 to 30 seconds.
      DSC5827 3 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
    • Quickly remove the spinach from the pot and shock in icy cold water to stop the cooking.
      DSC5828 2 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
    • Drain and gently squeeze out excess water. Cut into 3-inch lengths.
      DSC5839 2 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
    • Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything well by hand, loosening/separating the spinach pieces that have been clumped up together. It will take about 10 minutes for the flavor of the seasonings to seep into the spinach.
      DSC5842 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Notes

    Have a bowl of ice water ready before blanching the spinach. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This recipe was originally posted in February 2011. It’s been updated with new photos and more information.

    You may also like:

    • DSC 1374 150x150 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)Sesame Broccoli
    • DSC6236 150x150 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)Watercress Namul
    • DSC3789 01 2 150x150 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)Bibimbap
    • 15 Vegetable Side Dishes 150x150 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)15 Vegetable Side Dishes (Banchan)
    « Songpyeon (Half-moon Shaped Rice Cake)
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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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